Brendan Rodgers will send his fringe players out on loan but they can still save their Celtic careers

CELTIC’s fringe men will be loaned out this month as Brendan Rodgers looks to both slim down and strengthen his first-team squad.

Scotland international Jack Hendry and Lewis Morgan, two players who joined the club a year ago, will leave, as will Youssouf Mulumbu who has failed too make an impact since his arrival in August.

Rodgers wanted more from his squad players this season when he was without key men and his hope is they follow the example of Ryan Christie by taking the chance of improving elsewhere and then returning to Celtic Park a better player.

Hibernian are keen on Morgan, Bradford City want Hendry, who has suffered a dreadful loss of form after being picked by Scotland following his move to Dundee, while the experienced Mulumbu was unable to reproduce his performances from last season when he was a sensation at Kilmarnock.

The almost forgotten about Scott Allan will have his contract torn up with Hibs favourite to sign the midfielder.

Rodgers said: “There is an interest in a number of our players. Some of these boys we will be looking to get them out on loan to get them games. Some of the boys who haven’t travelled with us to Dubai are probably a wee bit closer to getting something sorted.

“Youssouff is at the age where he needs to play really. He came in as a support player to the team but he’s at the age really where he needs to play in the next part of the season so he’ll probably go out on loan.”

This needn't be the end of these players’ Celtic careers, especially Morgan and Hendry, which their manager was keen to stress.

Rodgers said: “It’s just about time. When you think of Jack coming in a year ago it was a steep learning curve for him, playing under big pressure and big games.

“What he has is potential because there are a lot of really good things to his game and of course when you make mistakes at the big clubs then of course it gets highlighted even more.

“But he was brought in because he had that potential. He’s not 17, 18 so he needs to continue with that learning and learn from the mistakes. Sometimes that’s just about getting games elsewhere. That’s something we’ve spoken about and we’d be keen to do.

“Lewis just joined the club in the last six months. You saw it with Ryan Christie, a perfect example of if you’re not ready now you can go away on a good loan or a couple of loans and when you come back in and you get your opportunity you’ve got to take it.”

“The boys are out here with us, training, and then we’ll see when we get back. I spoke to both of them and they are great guys as well."

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